His Eminence Metropolitan SABA Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America His Grace Bishop Alexander
Pastor: Fr John Vazquez| fatherjohnvazquez@gmail.com | stgeorgealbany.org | 1 St George's Pl Albany
Office Hours: Mon/Fri 10am-5pm/Confessions: After weekly services or by appointment
Parish Council Leadership: Chair—Michella Rizk, Treasurer—Ranya Palmer, Secretary—Daniel Palmer, Vice Chair—Linda Grady
Beloved,
This week at the Antiochian Village has been a great blessing to me. It is wonderful to interact with and minister to the campers and staff who are here and have them minister to me. It reinforces for me that the Church is where we find a full life and a true life.
I have been playing lots of basketball with the campers and staff along with wiffle ball and football which has been great fun but I think what I have enjoyed most is the "ask Abouna" sessions with the kids and the Christian education with the teenagers. The kids are hungry for our faith—the Orthodox Faith and they (we) need it. The world offers many challenges but these challenges when faced within the context of the Church have no power to overwhelm us.
All of this makes me exceedingly grateful and humbled to be your priest and to walk alongside each of you as we seek our salvation in Christ.
Thank you for your prayers.
With Love in Christ,
Fr John
*The new windows and doors have been installed and they make a huge difference! Thank you to those who donated! We would like to replace the 5 windows in the hall but we need to raise $3500 first. Some have already stepped forward to help. If anyone is interested in helping with these please be in touch with Mo Barbera or Fr John.
Services and Events
Fr John assigned to Antiochian Village Camp in Pennsylvania July 27th-August 8th. Contact Fr Gregory Potter if needed (508) 468-5758
Sunday, August 3rd—Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy (Fr John back for Liturgy)
Wednesday, August 6th—Great Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord Services @ St Basil's in Troy @ 9am and at Christ the Savior in Ballston Spa @ 9:10am
Sunday, August 10th—Orthros followed by Divine Liturgy Meeting with Merrill Lynch to follow Liturgy
Saturday, August 16th—Youth Day beginning at Christ the Savior in Ballston Spa for their feast day Liturgy @ 9:10am followed by an afternoon of fun—join us
August 11-15th—St George Schenectady Theotokos Summer Camp. Sign up HERE
Click to view our Upcoming Schedule
Eduction at St George
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.1
Please Read Metropolitan SABA's weekly reflection HERE. This week's is his address at the general assembly of the Archdiocesan Convention
Coffee with the Father's on hiatus until September 1st. Get some caffeine for the soul with Coffee with the Fathers. Join us at ALIAS COFFEE on N. Pearl St in Albany as we study Hymns on Paradise by St Ephraim the Syrian.
Study the Scriptures with us—Bible Study Saturday evenings at 6pm after vespers. We also are doing localized bible studies in peoples homes on Wednesday evenings and Friday afternoons and evenings—in an attempt to provide an opportunity for as many people as possible to attend. Check the calendar for locations.
Click HERE to learn some about the Feast of the Dormition
Did You Know...that Christ is Risen!...and...
*We will meet the representatives of Merrill Lynch on August 10th after Liturgy to discuss our investments. This meeting happens every 6 months and is a chance for people to have their voice heard and for us to continue to have Merrill manage our funds.
*Metropolitan SABA has an Instagram account to connect with youth and young adults—@AskSayidna.
*We plan to have a "Youth Day" at the Church once a month which will include kids of all ages. The purpose of these days is to offer education, fellowship, wholesome fun and a chance for the kids to "ask Abouna." Here are the dates for the next two: August 16th and September 13th—mark your calendars.
*You can view the WORD magazine online. Click HERE.
*Read the annual reports of our Archdiocesan Ministries including the Archdiocese Financial Report for the upcoming Bi-Annual Convention in Chicago.
*Our sister parish—St George Schenectady—will be hosting a summer day camp August 11th-15th. If you are interested in a fun, faith infused environment for your children sign up HERE.
Parish Prayer List
"Remember Me O Lord When You Come Into Your Kingdom." Lk 23.42
Please include in your daily prayers the following. Contact me to have someone added to the list. These are the names that will be remembered during the Divine Liturgy.
Living:
Bishop Alexander, Fr Gregory Potter, Fr Joseph, Fr Andrew, Fr Pat, Fr Meletios, Fr Terrance, Fr Michael, Dn Jorge, Dn Horia, Leila, Helen, Lew, Marsha, Mary, Anastasia, Hassib, Callie, Shannon, Jennifer, Schuyler, Raphael and Kelly, Elise, Fayez, Kent, Rose and our catechumens: Max, Ryan, Kathryn and Henry. All those traveling, those suffering from illness, violence and want in this country and throughout the world and especially those in Ukraine, Russia, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and the middle east
Departed:
Fr Gregory DesMarais, Fr Alvian, Fr John, Will, Camile, Raymond, Ruth, Dolores, Agnes, Ed, Bassir, The New Martyrs of Syria those who have lost their lives and who have no one to pray for them, those who have passed in the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"Beauty Will Save the World"
My favorite author—Fyodor Dostoyevsky—has a quote, "Beauty will save the world!" What in the world could this mean?! Well, this could be quite a big discussion but I think part of the answer is that as human beings we delight in what is beautiful and not only take delight in but find healing when we encounter something beautiful. Beauty is such a big part of our worship as Orthodox Christians. Orthodox worship engages our senses with beautiful smells, sights and sounds and this matters because God's creation is good and beauty helps us to understand this reality.
Have you ever wondered what you could do to help beautify our church. Here are some ideas:
*15-20 Icons (16”x24” $400 per icon) Pick your Saint!—https://legacyicons.com/saint-paisios-of-athos-icon-s184/
*Curtain for Holy Doors ($850) https://www.churchembroidery.net/product-page/holy-door-curtains-katapetasma
*Curtains for Deacons Doors ($1500 each) churchembroidery.net (custom order)
*Epitaphios of Panaghia ($1800) https://www.churchembroidery.net/product-page/fully-embroidered-orthodox-epitaphios-shroud-of-the-most-holy-theotokos-3
*Two Mosaic’s for outside ($5000 each—is my best guess) (Theotokos and St George)
*Chandelier for above Altar ($500) https://nioras.com/product/church-chandelier-frames-with-orthodox-icons-13-electric-lights/
*Three Mount-Athos style Chandeliers for the nave (the space where the people stand during the service)
Sunday, August 3, 2025
THE SYNAXARION (Plain Reading)
On August 3 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the venerable and God-bearing fathers Isaacius, Dalmatus and Faustus of the Dalmaton monastery.
Verses
By three men, O Most High, is Thy throne surrounded:
One, Faustus; two, Isaacius; three, Dalmatus.
On the third, Dalmatus, Faustus and Isaac died.
At first, Dalmatus was an officer during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Great whom the emperor held in great esteem. When the spirit awakened in him, Dalmatus despised all earthly things, resigned his rank and took his only son Faustus and, with him, went to the community of Isaacius in the outskirts of Constantinople where they both were tonsured as monks. Dalmatus was completely devoted to a God-pleasing life for which the elder Isaacius rejoiced. When Isaacius approached the hour of death, he appointed Dalmatus as abbot in his place. Later, this community was named after him—the so-called Dalmaton. Dalmatus devoted himself to fasting, at times for forty days. By fasting he conquered the invisible demonic power. He participated in the Third Ecumenical Council in Ephesus in 431 and fought against the Nestorian heresy. Pleasing God, he died peacefully in the fifth century. His son Faustus supported his father in everything and, after a God-pleasing life, died peacefully in the Dalmaton community.
On this day, we also commemorate Salome the myrrh-bearer; and Venerable Anthony the Roman, wonderworker of Novgorod. By the intercessions of Thy saints, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen.
By the intercessions of Thy saints, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen.
Parish Financial Summary—Fiscal Year 2024/25
Help us Reach our Goal of $132,000—Our estimated budget for the 2024-25 Fiscal Year
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF ST GEORGE!
Giving for Week of 7.27.25—$890.25
Online Donations for Week of 7.27.25—$0
Falafel Fundraiser 3.30.25—$1054
Parish Halfi 4.25.25—$9087.95
Broadview Bank Balance as of end of June: $32,287.09: $23,991.63 (Operating Fund); $7,159.56 (Memorial Fund); $1,135.90 (Charity Fund)
Merrill Lynch Mutual Fund as of end of June: $396,661.41
Merrill Lynch Money Market Account as of end of June: $60,873.97
Total Giving for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—$73,978.29
Families who have contributed for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—71
Families who have contributed over $5,000 for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—2
Families who have contributed over $1,000 for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—17
A Note to our Visitors
WELCOME!
We are blessed by your presence! Join us for fellowship after. Please note, in the Orthodox Church only baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared with confession, fasting (no food from the night before until communion), prayer and forgiveness can partake of the Holy Eucharist. All others may come forward for a blessing with the chalice held over their head and receive a piece of blessed bread from the altar servers.
A Word From the Fathers
St Maximus the Confessor
48th saying of the 3rd Century (100 Sayings) on Love
As has been said many times, in everything we do God examines our motive, to see whether we are doing it for His sake or for some other purpose. Thus when we desire to do something good, we should not do it for the sake of popularity: we should have God as our goal, so that, with our gaze always fixed on Him, we may do everything for His sake. Otherwise we shall undergo all the trouble of performing the act and yet lose the reward.
